The Whitney Museum of American Art (video). (1955). Alexander Calder Performs His "Circus" (performance art), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6jwnu8Izy0
One type of outdoor sculpture is Mobile Sculpture. You can think of Mobile Sculpture as sculpture that moves. Mobile Sculpture has a history. People didn't start making sculptures that move just yesterday. The father of mobile sculpture is Alexander Calder. The video above, titled Cirque Calder, shows Calder's move towards making wire sculpture and moving sculpture. The characters in the circus were like mini-examples of his later, and larger, outdoor sculptures. Balance and movement were central to his sculptures regardless of the size. Duchamp (a French artist of Calder's time) later dubbed Calder's sculptures "mobiles." Have you heard the word "mobile" before? This is a word we are now familiar with thanks to Calder and Duchamp!
Look below at these sculptures created by Alexander Calder:
How are they similar to sculptures you have seen in our community?
What everyday items are influenced by Alexander Calder's sculptures?
How has Calder influenced art in our community?
How has Calder's indoor art influenced outdoor art?
Alexander Calder (sculptor). (1972). Untitled (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from: http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/timage_f?object=56253.0&oimage=0&c=
National Gallery of Art
Gift of the Collectors Committee/National Gallery of Art/Washington DC
Alexander Calder (sculptor). (1972). Obus (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from: http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=61399
National Gallery of Art
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 2000 Estate of Alexander Calder / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Alexander Calder (sculptor). (1976). Les Fleches (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from: http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=72060
National Gallery of Art
Collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art/ 2000 Estate of Alexander Calder / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
What parts of Alexander Calder's biography, below, show us hints of how he became a mobile sculptor?
Alexander Calder, American, 1898 - 1976
Alexander Calder is perhaps best known for his large, colorful sculpture, which incorporates elements of humor and chance into uniquely engineered structures. Calder was born outside of Philadelphia to a successful, artistic family. His father and grandfather--both named Alexander Calder--were distinguished sculptors and his mother was a portrait painter. Although he initially studied mechanical engineering, receiving a degree from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, he eventually enrolled in the Art Students League in New York City (1923-1926) and studied painting with John Sloan and George Luks, among others. While working as a graphic artist on assignment at the zoo and circus, Calder discovered his facility for sketching animals. This subject would become a lifelong passion.
In 1927 Calder went to Paris. Initially he created small, movable wood and wire figures, which he then assembled into a miniature circus, complete with balancing acrobats and a roaring lion. The popularity of "Calder's circus" soon brought him in contact with other artistic innovators. In the early 1930s, inspired by the color and composition of Piet Mondrian's work, Calder created his breakthrough mobiles. At first these abstract sculptures were motorized; later Calder modified his design to allow free-floating movement, powered only by air currents. These signature works incorporated Calder's interests in physics, astronomy, and kinetics, and above all, his sense of play.
By 1933 Calder had returned to the United States, where his abstract-organic sculpture, both mobile and stationary, attracted considerable attention and acclaim. He settled in Connecticut and continued to produce innovative works on both a large and small scale. After 1950 Calder spent part of each year in France. In addition to the monumental sculptures that can be seen in the United States and Europe, Calder applied his whimsical and lyrical sense of design to media as diverse as metal jewelry and theater sets.
This is an excerpt from the interactive companion to the videodisc American Art from the National Gallery of Art. Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/tbio?person=55300
The Whitney Museum of American Art (video). (1955). Alexander Calder Performs His "Circus" (performance art), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6jwnu8Izy0
One type of outdoor sculpture is Mobile Sculpture. You can think of Mobile Sculpture as sculpture that moves. Mobile Sculpture has a history. People didn't start making sculptures that move just yesterday. The father of mobile sculpture is Alexander Calder. The video above, titled Cirque Calder, shows Calder's move towards making wire sculpture and moving sculpture. The characters in the circus were like mini-examples of his later, and larger, outdoor sculptures. Balance and movement were central to his sculptures regardless of the size. Duchamp (a French artist of Calder's time) later dubbed Calder's sculptures "mobiles." Have you heard the word "mobile" before? This is a word we are now familiar with thanks to Calder and Duchamp!
Look below at these sculptures created by Alexander Calder:
How are they similar to sculptures you have seen in our community?
What everyday items are influenced by Alexander Calder's sculptures?
How has Calder influenced art in our community?
How has Calder's indoor art influenced outdoor art?
Alexander Calder (sculptor). (1972). Untitled (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/timage_f?object=56253.0&oimage=0&c=
National Gallery of Art
Gift of the Collectors Committee/National Gallery of Art/Washington DC
Alexander Calder (sculptor). (1972). Obus (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=61399
National Gallery of Art
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 2000 Estate of Alexander Calder / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Alexander Calder (sculptor). (1976). Les Fleches (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=72060
National Gallery of Art
Collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art/ 2000 Estate of Alexander Calder / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
What parts of Alexander Calder's biography, below, show us hints of how he became a mobile sculptor?
Alexander Calder, American, 1898 - 1976
Alexander Calder is perhaps best known for his large, colorful sculpture, which incorporates elements of humor and chance into uniquely engineered structures. Calder was born outside of Philadelphia to a successful, artistic family. His father and grandfather--both named Alexander Calder--were distinguished sculptors and his mother was a portrait painter. Although he initially studied mechanical engineering, receiving a degree from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, he eventually enrolled in the Art Students League in New York City (1923-1926) and studied painting with John Sloan and George Luks, among others. While working as a graphic artist on assignment at the zoo and circus, Calder discovered his facility for sketching animals. This subject would become a lifelong passion.
In 1927 Calder went to Paris. Initially he created small, movable wood and wire figures, which he then assembled into a miniature circus, complete with balancing acrobats and a roaring lion. The popularity of "Calder's circus" soon brought him in contact with other artistic innovators. In the early 1930s, inspired by the color and composition of Piet Mondrian's work, Calder created his breakthrough mobiles. At first these abstract sculptures were motorized; later Calder modified his design to allow free-floating movement, powered only by air currents. These signature works incorporated Calder's interests in physics, astronomy, and kinetics, and above all, his sense of play.
By 1933 Calder had returned to the United States, where his abstract-organic sculpture, both mobile and stationary, attracted considerable attention and acclaim. He settled in Connecticut and continued to produce innovative works on both a large and small scale. After 1950 Calder spent part of each year in France. In addition to the monumental sculptures that can be seen in the United States and Europe, Calder applied his whimsical and lyrical sense of design to media as diverse as metal jewelry and theater sets.
This is an excerpt from the interactive companion to the videodisc American Art from the National Gallery of Art. Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from: http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/tbio?person=55300
Take the Alexander Calder tour here:
http://www.nga.gov/feature/artnation/calder/index.shtm(This is an external link!)
The Alexander Calder Collection at the Whitney Museum:
http://whitney.org/Collection/AlexanderCalder(This is an external link!)